TORCHES. A torch was also called [Greek: helanê], as Amerias tells us; but Nicander of Colophon says that [Greek: helanê] means a bundle of rushes. Herodotus uses the word in the neuter plural, [Greek: lychna], in the second book of his History.
Cephisodorus, in his Pig, uses the word [Greek: lychnapsia], for what most people call [Greek: lychnokautia], the lighting of candles.
And Cynulcus, who was always attacking Ulpian, said;—But now, my fine supper-giver, buy me some candles for a penny, that, like the good Agathon, I may quote this line of the admirable Aristophanes—
Bring now, as Agathon says, the shining torches ([Greek: peukas]);
and when he had said this—
Putting his tail between his lion's feet,
he left the party, being very sleepy.
62. Then, when many of the guests cried out Io Pæan, Pontianus said;—I wish, my friends, to learn from you whether Io Pæan is a proverb, or the burden of a song, or what else it is. And Democritus replied;—Clearchus the Solensian, inferior to none of the pupils of the wise Aristotle, in the first book of his treatise on Proverbs, says that "Latona, when she was taking Apollo and Diana from Chalcis in Eubœa to Delphi, came to the cave which was called the cave of the Python. And when the Python attacked them, Latona, holding one of her children in her arms, got upon the stone which even now lies at the foot of the brazen statue of Latona, which is dedicated as a representation of what then took place near the Plane-tree at Delphi, and cried out [Greek: Hie], [Greek: pai]; (and Apollo happened to have his bow in hand;) and this is the same as if she had said [Greek: Aphie], [Greek: Hie pai], or [Greek: Bale], [Greek: pai], Shoot, boy. And from this day [Greek: Hie], [Greek: pai] and [Greek: Hie], [Greek: paiôn] arose. But some people, slightly altering the word, use it as a sort of proverbial exclamation to avert evils, and say [Greek: iê paiôn], instead of [Greek: Hie], [Greek: pai]. And many also, when they have completed any undertaking, say, as a sort of proverb, [Greek: iê paiôn]; but since it is an expression that is familiar to us it is forgotten that it is a proverb, and they who use it are not aware that they are uttering a proverb."
But as for what Heraclides of Pontus says, that is clearly a mistake, "That the god himself, while offering a libation, thrice cried out [Greek: iê paian], [Greek: iê paiôn]." From a belief in which statement he refers the trimeter verse, as it is called, to the god, saying "that each of these metres belongs to the god;
